Karaoke Forums

So I started out late last winter. Bought karaoke equipment for $2,500 total with computer, speakers, wires, mics, etc and have been hosting for about a year now. I've worked a few one off gigs for a few places during a week night and on Saturday's early on (one place didn't have an ASCAP license and didn't want us to promote on social media and one spot I did once and it closed down two months later).



I'm now doing consistent two nights a week and hosting once a month at a restaurant for the past couple of months. Started on a three day weekend on a Monday and the owner dug my karaoke and we made it one Saturday a month, sometimes we will have it twice. We started in the summer and it's been very good each time. The manager/owner is thrilled with it.



It's been and interesting first year. I've drew in the beginning on a stormy night 3 people in a bar and the bar made 80. It was a Sunday gig. I told them to give me 20 for gas and I ended up canceling that gig. Did recently a Monday night, the bar made 80. They gave me 30. I ended up ending that night.



Tuesdays and Wednesday nights have been good. 160 regardless of crowd and the Wednesday night ranges from 120-150.



Saturday night has been 250 for 2 and a half hours to sometimes 3 hours.



Had my singers monitor break on me last night. Was cracked and all different colors. Thought quickly on needing to have singers sing off my laptop to which they did and set them back behind the monitors and was able to get really good sound where we had no feedback issues.



I tend to play the music loud and I'm in my 30s and love the 20s crowd. My friend has been doing karaoke for ten years and his crowds are all young and fun. That's my favorite type of karaoke crowd.



In the past year, have had an okay following. About 7-10 people at certain gigs, still building it up. It's been difficult at times. Especially for early week karaoke. The Tuesday spot is a huge newer place but doesn't get much people in there. It's a sports restaurant. They may close down but it's one of my higher paying gigs and will ride it out for a while.



I've gained some followers from some of the week gigs. The Saturday gig I maybe draw 1 or 2, but the restaurant has drawn locals who love to sing. That is the type of gig I'd love every time. It feels like a secure type of gig rather than a questionable once where you may have not so many people. I have been flexible with the venues as far as price.



I feel like I've been blessed so far and it's been a good start. I do this because my passion is about doing it. I look forward to it and would have loved to have this as a career and have a part time job but with a wife and home soon, I need my full time job. I'm sure a lot of you agree, extra income doesn't hurt.



That's been my first year in a nut shell.

What's your area?

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DJ Don

I am located in the suburban NY area.

Upstate or the Island?? I am originally from Smithtown.

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I am the ONLY SANE 1 HERE

Oh, forgot to add, recently another host came to one of my shows and I knew him from singing karaoke years ago. So he does his own gig, doesn't work and is a great singer but I honestly feel something in wrong with him. He comes into my gig, I shake his hand, am polite and he said he's stopping by since his friends said they're coming but he needed to leave, and was stopping in. He says he's been holding a grudge against me for years and starts fishing for compliments and he sings a high pitch Journey song, and starts cracking with his voice and says, "Get me a glass of water?" in between the instrumental break. Oh, and I forgot to add that before that he said "You know you can turn the music down, it's loud, there's not much people in here". He also laughs when his voice cracks and tells me "You know I'm not this bad! You know I'm a great singer!" (not verbatim, but close) Just a real diva and in my opinion pathetic attitude. Says he charges and gets 200-250 a gig. But yet he's had 8 different gigs and never keeps them longer than a few weeks. Sad, really. I feel bad for him. Some people need to be humble.

Just out of curiosity, what software are you using? Do you have printed books or a kiosk?

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~ Mike

Printed books. Kjams.

You are well paid compared to national averages, FYI.

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C Mc
KJ, FL

Did your system come with music?

Welcome to Kjaying!

I was going to ask the same thing?
did you get cd's or was the music included with your computer?

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It's all good!